Rinjani Mountain Trekking Lombok 3 Days 2 Nights

The mighty Rinjani mountain of Gunung Rinjani is a massive volcano which towers over the island of Lombok. A climb to the top is one of the most exhilarating experiences you can have in Indonesia. At 3,726 meters tall, Gunung Rinjani is the second highest mountain in Indonesia. The climb to the top may not be easy but it’s worth it, and is widely regarded as one of the best views in the country.

Part of the famous ‘ring of fire’ this mountain also holds spiritual significance for the local people. It’s thought that the name Rinjani comes from an old Javanese term for ‘God’.

Around the slopes of Rinjani there are lush forests sprinkled with waterfalls and surrounded by stunning scenery.

Within the mountain is a crescent shaped lake, the breathtaking Segara Anak which is about 6km across at its widest point. This lake of sulfur is located 600 meters below the crater rim. Rising from the waters of this lake is a new volcano, Mt. Baru, which is a result of a series of eruptions during the 1990’s. Segara Anak is a spiritual place. The Balinese come here each year and perform a ceremony called pekelan where jewelry is placed in the lake as an offering to the mountain spirit. The Wetu Telu people also regard the lake as holy and come here to pray on full moon nights.

Mt Rinjani lies within the Gunung Rinjani National Park. The park covers 41,330 hectares and sits inside a major bio-geographical transition zone (Wallacea). This is where the tropical flora and fauna of South East Asia meets that of Australasia. This National Park was established in 1997 and is one of over 40 throughout Indonesia.

For visitors, the three-day Rinjani trek route from Senaru to the crater rim, down to the Crater Lake then on to Sembalun Lawang, is considered one of the best treks in South East Asia. More adventurous trekkers may want to head all the way to the summit of the volcano. This is best reached from Sembalun Lawang and takes four days, finishing up in Senaru.

To ensure that local communities benefit from tourism revenue, the Rinjani Trek is managed by a partnership of National Park officials, the public and private sectors of the Lombok tourism industry and community representatives. Community run cooperatives coordinate the Trek at the Rinjani Trek Center (RTC) in Senaru and the Rinjani Information Center (RIC) in Sembalun Lawang.

Revenue from tourism activities and entry fees is used for conservation, management and assisting the National Park with maintenance of the Rinjani Trek, thus ensuring its sustainability. This management model is unique in Indonesia and considered an example of best practice of ecotourism in Indonesia.

Mt. Rinjani, at 3,726 m asl., is the third highest mountain in Indonesia. In a valley high up on the western part of Mt. Rinjani lies Segara Anak Lake (2,208 m asl.) whose sulphurous-smelling water has different temperatures from one part of the Lake to another, ranging from cool, through warm, to very hot. A new volcano is emerging from the centre of this Lake, and it is still active and growing.

Particularly with the coming of the rice-planting season, the communities in the vicinity quite often hold ritual ceremonies on Mt. Rinjani and at Segara Anak Lake. One involves releasing small artificial fish made of very thin gold into the Lake.

The Concepts of the Rinjani Trek Management Board The Rinjani Trek is managed by a unique partnership of National Park, tourism industry and the local community. Activities focus in the Community - run cooperatives at Rinjani Trek Centre ( RTC ) in Senaru and the Rinjani Information Centre ( RIC ) in Sembalun Lawang. Under the guidance of the Rinjani Trek Management Board ( RTMB ), each are run by a stakeholders' committee who look after roster systems for guides and porters, village tours, trek trail maintenance, and handicraft sales. Revenue from tourism activities and entry fees is used for conservation, training and management of the Rinjani Trek, thus ensuring sustainability.

Conceptually, the project started with three stakeholder circles labeled "Park Management", "Community Development" and "Tourism". Whit Project assistance, the Park set out to engage with the stakeholder groups in each of the circles, independently at first and then, as the groups got used to deal with each other, increasingly together. This approach recognized that it takes time for the multi-skilled "cross-over" people that ecotourism requires (people who can operate in between the circles) to emerge.

Best time to trek in Rinjani : April to November

Designated : Minister of Forestry, SK.No.280/Kpts-II/97, a total area of 41,330 hectares Location : Regencies; West Lombok, Central Lombok and East Lombok, Province of West Nusa Tenggara

Itinerary:Day 01, Senggigi-Sembalun-Sembalun Rim. Pick up at 05.00 Am if you stay in Senggigi or at 07.00 Am if you stay in Senaru, we will drive you to Sembalunwhere you will starts your trek. The path starts through fields where you can look up awe at the majestic summit of Gunung Rinjani. From the foothills of the mountain you will slowly start to climb up to Base Camp III where the porters will look a tasty lunch. from here you will climb one steeply through scenery that varies from barren grassland to woodland. The next stop is the campsite at the crater Rim, where you will be cooked a hearty Dinner that will give you the energy needed for the climb to the Summit the next morning after a good night sleep.

Day 02, Summit-Lake-Senaru Rim. At 02.30 Am, You will be woken up with a hot drink and a light breakfast. We starts the climb to the Peak at 03.00 Am in time to see the spectacular sunrise at the Summit. The effort is well worth it when you can see Java on one side and over to bali on the other side. On the way down you can see pause to look at the Magnificent lake and volcanic cone. After breakfast you will descent for three hours to the Crater Lake and also visit the refreshing Hot Spring and Waterfall.

You will climb back up to the other side of the Rim after a short walk around part of the Lake. Continue to climb up to Senaru Rim, From this side of the Rim you can see more awe inspiring views of the crater Rim. Summit and lake. Overnight.

Day 03, Senaru Rim-Senaru Village-Senggigi Wake by the Spectacular view of the Sun rise, Enjoy the view before heading to Base Camp III and heading for your final meal - a well needed lunch. The last part of our journey passes through tropical rain forest for around 03 hours until you reach the road back to Senaru. Congratulate your self for amazing achievement! Transfer back to your hotel in Senggigi.